Survival of dispersing and philopatric yellow-bellied marmots: what is the cost of dispersal? [La survie des marmottes à ventre jaune dispersantes et philopatriques : quel est le coût de la dispersion?].

Résumé

Understanding the evolution of dispersal has been hindered by a lack of reliable measures of the cost of dispersal. We report that survival of dispersing yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) (0,73) was only 16% less than survival of philopatric marmots (0.87). A cost-benefit analysis reveals that the survival cost of dispersal may be less than some other costs of philopatry, thus, dispersal is explicable as a tactic to improve individual fitness.